Tag: bible

On Creation

Tagged , , , 1 Comment

View from the Mt Holyoke Summit House, September 13th, 2025

Where did the universe come from? What is its purpose? How does our view of creation impact society? In this lesson we seek to understand how God created the universe, His relationship to it, and the purpose for which it was made.

All Things Were Made Through Him

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Colossians 1:16 “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for Him.”

God created the universe out of nothing; nothing but God existed before the universe was created.

Genesis 1:3 “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.”

God spoke all of creation into existence, except for humans. He fashioned us uniquely from the dust of the earth, gave us his breath, and we are the only ones made in His own image. This means that in our ability to rule, to reason, or to have relationships with others and God, we reflect Him. We are God’s representatives on earth. This was God’s design, and He declared it to be very good.

Scientific theories that do not see God as the Creator fail to give us the dignity that is given by the Biblical account. We are intelligently designed by God, and so you and I, are bearers of God’s image, made in His likeness. We are not highly developed animals or the descendants of apes. 

The Distinct but Dependent Creation

God is distinct from creation. He is totally independent of it. He existed before it did. He lives outside the created universe (yet His spirit lives within the elect). We can use two words to describe two places; the place where God has existed from all of eternity, and the other where all created things exist. These we call the temporal and the eternal. The temporal is where we are, along with everything else in creation. The eternal is where God is. This means that God is outside of time, as the scriptures say in 2 Peter 3:8, “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.”

Now we’ll look at God’s relationship to creation.

1 Kings 19:11-13 “So he said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire the sound of a gentle blowing. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here Elijah?” 

What does this passage reveal to us about God and creation? As we just learned, God is outside of the temporal realm, the created realm. This means that we do not find God in creation, rather creation points us back to God. A book can tell us things about the author – does he think simply or intricately?  A painting tells us a little bit about the painter – is he patient and detailed, or impulsive and sloppy? A piece of music can reveal things about the composer – is he often cheerful or melancholy? Similarly, creation reveals to us things about God. 

Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”

Q: Based on this passage, what can we learn about God from creation? We learn about His eternal power and His divine nature. We learn about His otherness.

Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” 

Now let’s flip the script for a moment. Let us consider the opposite of this truth, that God is not found in creation. What is the result of believing that He is in fact, one with and indwelling all created things? Compare the Native American societies with those of the European settlers. The Natives believed that spirits or deities indwelt the trees, rocks, rivers, animals, sun, moon, and stars. What do you think the result of this was? A society that lacked technological advancement. If I thought that God lived in a tree, I might be hesitant to cut that tree down for firewood. Perhaps, they held a misplaced reverence or even fear of nature and creation. In contrast, the Christian view is one of dominion, productivity (or fruitfulness), and stewardship. Practically, this looks like a society that is building, growing, and making new discoveries.

Genesis 1:18 “God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Q: What are some ways people today are fruitful (productive) or exercise rulership over creation? Authors,  tradesmen, managers, farmers, parents, students, teachers, etc. 

With that being said, God does not want us to exploit creation to the point of destroying it, we are stewards. For example, we should not cut down all the rainforests.

We’ve learned that God is not found in created things, but that these things point back to God. But does this mean that God is totally removed and distant from what He made? Is He the watchmaker, who winds up the watch enough to set the gears in motion but places it in a drawer, never to be opened? No. He is distinct from creation, but His relationship with it, and with us, is one of fellowship and involvement. 

Job 12:10 “In whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?”

Acts 17:24-28 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His children.’”

God is not so removed from us that he cannot or will not be intimately involved in our lives and in our struggles. He is near. 

Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Creation’s Purpose

Deep question : Why was creation made? What is its purpose?

Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” 

Isaiah 43:7 “Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made.” 

All creation was made to give glory to God. His role as our creator makes Him worthy of our praise and glory. 

Jeremiah 10:12 “It is He who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom, and by His understanding stretched out the heavens.”

God created the universe to show His greatness, to demonstrate His excellence, and to delight in His work. As we take delight in creative activities, and the activities of others, we are giving glory to God by imitating the delight that He takes in His creation. 

Q:What are some ways that you will glorify God today? Work, enjoyment of a hobby, fellowship with friends and family, reading and learning, hearing God’s word, eating a good meal, taking a nap, etc. 

These are all good things, as God had declared from the beginning, that when He looked over everything that He made, it was “very good.” (Genesis 1:31)

A Living Person

Tagged , , , , , Leave a comment

Dear Friend, 

You may have noticed a change. I’m attending church now and identifying myself as a Christian. Let me tell you why.

 I’ve believed in God’s existence since I was 6 years old and was raised by parents who professed faith in Jesus. This faith I had began to wane as a teenager, as I realized I could not be the good “Christian” I thought God expected me to be, so I called it quits. My freshman year of high school I mocked God publicly and disassociated myself from the label of “Christian”, yet I drove to my first day of senior year joyfully listening to a sermon by John MacArthur. What changed? I came to a realization that Jesus of Nazareth in the Bible did not just live 2,000 years ago, but is actually alive today. I met a person, but this person was not like anyone else I’ve met. His words cut deeply. His behavior showed strength and goodwill. Unlike before, the things He said mysteriously began making sense. The death of this man described in the Gospels made me think that perhaps God does know something about the sorrows of life. I read an apologetics book by Mr. Lee Strobel, and found that the Christian’s belief about Jesus’ resurrection was grounded in reasonableness. But this wasn’t enough for me, nor do I now think that would be enough persuasion for anyone else. The evidence presented, whether prophecy, accuracy of manuscripts, or the Apostle’s testimony post resurrection, were helpful materials for building my faith, but they were and are not the foundation upon which I can call myself a Christian. It is the story itself, and an awareness of a living person. This was a supernatural occurrence, an awareness and conviction that somehow came upon me, resulting in faith. I now understand this to be God’s merciful work by His Spirit, convicting the heart. Sinners hear the news of Christ by the Word (scripture), yet the Spirit confirms within them that what they hear is true and living. It was like a glimmer of light reached me and I was quickened to pursue more of it. To put it simply, Nathaniel’s “kingdom” was invaded by the kingdom of God. Upon the awareness of His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus Christ became to me the ultimate human being, the one who knows what’s really going on, and the way to life everlasting. How can I believe in those preposterous Old Testament stories? If the miracle of the resurrection occurred, then the authority of Christ is sealed, and His confirmation of the Old Testament as history is trustworthy. I can expand on that another time. Right now, my heart is to tell you that I’ve encountered a person, and I want you to encounter Him too. He said if you seek Him you will find Him, for He “desires all people to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” For by this man, Paul says, “all things were created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.” Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish Rabbi who called Himself, “the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” was either delusional or God incarnate, and upon encountering Him by His Words, I’ve come to believe the latter.

Friend, my hope is that you will too. 

A Review of Psalm 18 

Tagged , , , , , , Leave a comment

Psalm 18 is a chapter found in the ancient book of Psalms in the Bible. This piece of writing was created by David, the second King of Israel between 1090 and 970 BC. David wrote this Psalm after the LORD had delivered him from his enemies and securely established him as ruler. Although lament is a common theme found in the book, Psalms chapter 18 can be read as a triumphal ode, a type of lyric poem that combines a thanksgiving prayer with a royal victory song. Psalm 18 contains key truths about God and valuable principles for life. These insights can help us understand both what God has done in the past and how He continues working today.  

David wrote Psalm 18 as an expression of thankfulness after the LORD had delivered him from his enemies and securely established him as ruler of Israel. Passages in other books of the Bible, such as 2 Samuel chapters 8 and 22, describe David’s deliverance from opposition and victory in battle. He expresses his confidence in God and expectation of a successful kingship as he observes God’s power and favor working on his behalf. In the first few verses of Psalm 18, he designates God as his deliverer, strength, rock, fortress, stronghold, and the “horn of my salvation (Ps. 18:2, NASB).” In this poem of thankfulness and triumph, he describes the power of God over creation using apocalyptic imagery, reflecting on God’s response to his prayers. The movement he envisions God undertaking on his behalf amidst life-threatening danger emboldens him to ponder and reflect on the character of Providence. 

What stands out to me the most about this particular Psalm is the idea it sets forth; namely, that God grants favor to those in whom he delights. The bold portrayal of divine grace that made David exult has caused me to do the same as I consider the character of God described in Psalm 18. If God acted on his behalf, will he not also intervene on behalf of His children? In another book of the Bible, 1 Chronicles, chapter 17 describes the promise God made to David. Verses 7 and 8 say,“‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel, and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.” I am encouraged by Psalm 18 because it reminds me of the faithfulness of God. I think of the promises that He has made to me personally. They are rest, eternal life, and the redemption of my body. I say to myself, “If I am one of God’s children, will He not also keep his promises to me, as He did for David?” The Bible teaches that God never changes, and so since He did not break His promise to protect David from harm and establish his kingdom, we can be confident that the rest of His promises will be upheld. The action that God takes on David’s behalf in Psalm 18 shields the mind from temptation to think that God is distant and uninvolved. We have been granted favor by God irrespective of our own sense of goodness.  The apocalyptic imagery in verses  7 through 16 that the psalmist uses to describe the movement of God reinforces His magnificence while strengthening the confidence we can have in His favor. The goodwill we have received as a free gift does not come from a small and inconsequential deity. We have not been shown grace by a figment of our imagination. David’s deliverance from death was not the result of wishful thinking; rather, favor had come from one who causes the “earth to reel and rock”, who’s voice emits “hailstones and coals of fire”, and at whose rebuke “the foundations of the earth were laid bare (The New American Standard Bible, 512).” How great it is to know we on good terms with someone so powerful! 

The writing style of Psalm 18 is straightforward, conspicuous, and the author does not appear to be using subliminal messages in the text. Rather, David seems to employ strong visual descriptions to capture the reader’s imagination and to communicate the urgency of his situation. Statements like “the cords of death encompassed me” can be understood as strong language conveying David’s closeness to death (The New American Standard Bible, 512). It is as if he is saying, death almost swallowed me whole as I became entangled in its grasp. One may argue that David’s use of dream-like imagery from verses 7 through 15 is not straight-forward and is an attempt to produce coded messages. I do not think confusion surrounding this type of language was common for ancient people, David’s target audience. Most ancient cultures accepted the idea of movement in the spiritual realm like what is described in Psalm 18. This complaint may come from difficulty reconciling a modern worldview with an ancient one. People might say David’s supernatural account was deliberately fabricated or was the result of psychedelic drug use, but the Psalm itself suggests neither of these ideas. 

The characters in Psalm 18 are King David himself, God, David’s enemies, and foreign nations. David is portrayed as a man desperately in need. His prayers and thanksgiving are directed to God, a powerful being who shows favor to David by rescuing him from enemies. The foreign nations mentioned are countries nearby who pay David much respect due to his military success. The author repeats certain words and phrases multiple times throughout the text, likely to emphasize certain points or because the Psalm was originally sung out loud. Ancient songs were often accompanied by stringed instruments such as the lyre and harp. King David was a skilled harpist.  

If you wish to know more about God’s dealings with mankind, you might enjoy the glorious truths Psalm 18 reveals. To those in whom God delights, David says the fearful will be strengthened, the needy will be provided for, and the humble will be saved. The reader will leave with an appreciation for God’s grace, while being urged to live a life marked by prayer and dependence on Him. If we see Psalm 18, and even our own lives, in light of God’s grace towards us, we can rejoice and find refuge in Him as David did. 

Works Cited: The New American Standard Bible, Published by Zondervan, 2010.